You’re pillar of unity, Abubakar tells Babangida at 80

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has described former military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, as a pillar of unity and a firm believer in one Nigeria as Babangida marked his 80th birthday.

Abubakar said in a statement by his Media Adviser, Mr Paul Ibe, in Abuja on Monday, that Babangida, popularly known as IBB, established an inclusive government that reflected Nigeria’s ethnic and religious diversities.

“You can’t deny IBB the credit for his sincere efforts to build a viable federation founded on equitable representation,’’ Abubakar said.

He noted that even Babangida’s “most stubborn critics’’ could not deny the fact that the former military leader had built a solid national infrastructure for the country which was still standing and visible around the country.

The former vice president also paid tribute to IBB for assembling one of the best and most formidable cabinets in Nigeria’s recent history because of his commitment to excellence.

Abubakar commended the former military president’s remarkable childhood history, saying that the general lost both his parents at an early age and had to struggle to pull himself up in life.

He described IBB as a man of vast knowledge, wisdom, wealth of experience and broad outlook on life.

He prayed to Allah to grant him more years in good health and vitality.